This invention relates to apparatus for removing debris from an irrigation ditch.
Agricultural activities in much of the United States takes place in an arid climate wherein the amount of rainfall is insufficient to provide sufficient moisture for commercial operations and their required high crop yields. Consequently, major sections of the southwestern portion of the United States rely on irrigation to deliver the moisture to the soil. In general, irrigation water flows from two types of sources with the first utilizing a canal network from a reservoir to a distribution point near the acreage or, alternatively, the water is derived from wells located adjacent the fields. In both cases, a distribution network of concrete lined ditches is used to distribute the water along the perimeter of the fields. Siphons are normally used to remove the water from the ditches and place it at the heads of the row crops planted in the fields. These irrigation practices are widely practiced and responsible to a major degree in the ability of our country's agricultural community to provide food and fiber at extremely low prices.
In the pumping of water for irrigation of fields, a significant amount of sedimentary matter accompanies the water and accumulates in the bottom of the ditches.
Also, the irrigation ditches border the fields and are open to permit placement of the siphons. However, they are located in arid regions of the country and consequently serve as catchments for particulate matter that is transported by the wind as well as receiving agricultural and other debris therein. Thus, to maintain their water carrying capability, the farmer must have his ditches periodically cleaned so that they can carry water to their effective or rated capacity. Ditches, unlike the major canals bringing water to the distribution points, are relatively small, often with a one foot wide base and three foot walls inclined at 45 degrees therefrom. Typically the depth of the ditches varies from 24 inches to 36 inches. Consequently, it is neither practical nor cost-effective to use road-worthy machinery to clean the ditches of the accumulated debris. Frequently, man power employing hand equipment removes the debris and places it on the surface of the field adjacent the ditch. The collection of the removed debris can be automated using front-end loaders, trucks or other road-based equipment.
Since economics plays a major part in the production of food and fiber in this country, and the cost of manual labor is ever increasing, it is advantageous to provide an automated means be which the ditches can be cleaned. It is also important to provide automated means for removing debris which can be operated by a single operator.
Accordingly, a primary object of the resent invention is the provision of automated irrigation ditch cleaning apparatus. Also, an objective is the provision of automated equipment that can be both laced within the ditch in position to remove accumulated debris, operated by a single individual and readily removed from the ditch at the completion of the operation. In addition, the resent invention is directed to apparatus for cleaning ditches wherein the accumulated debris is placed in position so as to be readily gathered by road-worthy equipment.